Chilli Capsicum frutescens, capsicum annuum - Mirchi 'In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue .........' . Whether this Spanish-funded Italian, who accidentally discovered the 'New World' whilst sailing west looking for an easier to route to the rich, spice redolent cities of Asia, was actually the first to do so, is probably less important than impact that this voyage had on the rest of the world and, in particular, Europe. Never before had there been such a wealth of new resources, virtually laid at the feet of the European nations. The 'Columbian Exchange' gave the 'Old World' new wealth, drugs, foods and the Chilli pepper. One of the main reasons for Columbus' trip had been to find a new source of supply of the 'King of Spices', pepper so, imagine his delight when one of the plants he discovered actually produced a pepper, albeit a strange variety. A Peter Martyr, writing in September 1493, was one of the first to report that Christopher Columbus had brought back to Spain “...peppers more pungent than that from Caucasus..” The native Americans had, of course been using them for a long time and archaeological evidence has been found that chillies were gathered from around 7,000BC and cultivated from around 3,000BC, predating the ancesters of the Mayans, the Olmecs, by about 1,000 years. The Mayans, whose civilisation occupied the area between the two Americas - now known as Guatemala, Mexico and Belize, used chillies medicinally for stomach disorders. Some suggest that the fact that its seeds are encased in a fleshy pod or capsule gave it its botanical genus name, capiscum. Others say that its root is from the Greek for 'I bite' - Kapto. Either explanation would seem to have its merits. The common names are easier to track down: Cayenne is named after the capital of French Guyana; chilli is an altered form of Chile, after the country - it is still spelt this way in the United States; and piment and pimento from the Spanish word for pepper, pimiento. Southern Europe quickly embraced this fiery little fruit. Pungent and jewel-coloured, it soon became a favourite of the Portuguese, and Vasco da Gama felt it to be indispensable enough to take with him on his marathon trip to India in 1498, thus, apparently, starting one of the most successful relationships in cookery: Indian food and the chilli. The plant, in all its varieties, flourished and found favour in tropical India, and its cultivation and use travelled northwards to the nomadic Mongolians, through China, where it became a firm favourite in Szechuan, to come back, full circle, via the Turks, who, at war with the Portuguese, returned the sweeter, milder variety, Paprika, which became such an important part of the cuisine of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Paprika, or pimento, is a member of the smoother, milder capsicum annuum branch of the family, which also includes the bell pepper, C. annuum var. grossum. The capsicum arrived in Hungary in 1699 and only became an indispensable ingredient in their Gulyas (goulash), in the 18th century. This now famous dish was originally a meat and onion stew, developed by Magyar shepherds, and carried by them in containers made from sheep stomachs as they followed their flocks, dating from the 9th century. Today, the chilli, is the most popular spice in the world. Used all over the Indian sub-continent, it is popular in Southeast Asia, Szechuan in China, Central America and the USA, where, usually in its liquid, Tabasco, form, it is central to the Creole, Cajun and Texan kitchens. Amazingly, Tabasco sauce, made from the eponymous chilli which is one of the hottest of the species, was invented 120 years ago by an Irish immigrant family, the McIlhennys, at Avery Island in Louisiana. Southern Europe too, has embraced the chilli: Portugal, Spain, especially the Basques, and the Italian regions of Abruzzi and Basilicata use it to very good effect. European Gypsies were fond of peppers and used them in their love charms. The fruits, like caraway, cumin and dill were also seen in folklore to inspire fidelity and it was believed that two red peppers, tied together and placed under the marital pillow, would prevent a partner straying. It would seem that only the French have resisted its fiery charm. Although, modern French chefs, such as Raymond Blanc, are increasingly exploring its use in their creations. There are more than 1,600 varieties of this little plant, whose relatives include the tomato, the potato and deadly nightshade. Two hundred of these are grown in Mexico alone. The heat of the chilli can be affected by the climate and soil where it is grown and by its ripeness and a test exists, to determine the level of heat in a chilli, called the Scoville Scale (founded by German chemist Wilbur Scoville prior to the 1920's). As a guide, the hottest on the scale was the habanero (up to 500,000 units) until the naga jolokia or Tezpur was found recently in Assam (850,000 units) and the mildest is the large, sweet bell pepper (0 units). The popular jalapeno is about 5,000 units. The heat is caused by a chemical, the alkaloid capsaicin, found in its largest concentrations in the white placental central core which holds the seeds and in the seeds themselves.Capsaicin is its magic ingredient, both for the ‘bite’ and medicinally. It encourages the flow of gastric juices, which is why some people find their mouths water at the mere mention of chilli, and promotes regular peristalsis movement, further aiding digestion and preventing flatulence. Scientists have managed to find five capsaicinoid components, three of which give a ‘rapid bite’ and two a long, low intensity on tongue and mid-palate, the ratios of which vary from type to type and account for the differences in pungency and ‘burn’ sensation. One of the components of chilli, capsidicin, is a natural antibiotic, and it has been found to posses antibacterial and antifungal properties and has been used since ancient times as a powerful pain killer: Capsaicin ointment is available to help relieve arthritis and inflamed joints. Researchers at Harvard Medical School discovered that the active ingredient in hot peppers, capsaicin, carries out its action by binding to a receptor - a protein that sits on the surface of a neuron or nerve cell. Drugs that bind to the protein may be capable of blocking the activation of pain sensing nerve cells or neurons. Ironically, it seems to be the very pain produced by the alkaloid which helps to produce the pain killing effect: Capsaicin stimulates certain nerve endings to manufacture the chemical which transmits the sensation of pain through the nervous system, Substance P, until the cells are depleted, temporarily blocking the pain signals to the brain. It is also this process that produces the morphine-like effect of chilli, stimulating the release of endorphins in the brain and, perhaps, reinforcing the addictive effect, leading to chilli-based foods such as curry being referred to as 'sex on a plate' by some. It is not soluble in water and it's stinging pungency can only be countered by casein, a protein found in milk and its by-products such as cheese, which is why lassi is such a good foil to an Indian meal. Capsaicin also has an affinity for fat, explaining why drinking more water after a spicy mouthful simply spreads the burning whereas absorbing the spice with another food is more effective. However, chilli is not just a pretty sting. Nutritionally, it is high in vitamin A and a source of vitamins B1, B2, niacin, sodium, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc and, by weight, capsicum peppers contain between 6 to 9 times the amount of vitamin C than a tomato. This is good news indeed in these carcinogenophobic times, as both vitamins A and C are powerful antioxidants, believed to protect against various forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Other research has found that the chilli can also help combat heart attack and stroke, as it appears to extend blood coagulation time, preventing harmful blood clots, and that it may also help to cut triglycerides and decrease bad cholesterol levels, when used in conjunction with a diet low in saturated fats. Maybe its time to let the rest of the French in on the secret, Raymond! They don't know what they are missing.